I've spent the last few months tracking every "game-changing" AI tool that hits my timeline. Most of them die in 90 days. A few actually change how you work.

Here's the filter I use before I even try something new:

1. Does it save a step, or add one?

A lot of "AI-powered" tools just wrap a chat interface around a task that used to be one click. If it adds a prompt-writing step to something that was already fast, it's not a win.

2. Who's actually using it 30 days after launch?

Launch day hype is meaningless. I check if there's still active discussion/usage a month later. Silence = it didn't stick.

3. Can it run unattended?

The tools that actually save hours are the ones you can hand a task to and walk away from — not ones that need you babysitting every output.

4. Is the pricing sane relative to the time saved?

If a tool costs $50/mo to save you 20 minutes a week, that's not automation, that's a hobby expense.

I started keeping notes on this because I got tired of re-evaluating the same tools every week. Turned it into a habit of writing up the ones that pass the filter — happy to share what's made the cut lately if people want specifics. What's a tool that actually stuck for you past the hype cycle?